Learning through fun and family time!
Children learn in many ways. Learning things with you and going to different places will help them have experiences that they can share in their reading, writing and speaking. Here are some places you can visit:
In Manhattan:
American Museum of Natural History: butterflies, dinosaurs, planets, rocks, civilizations and ocean life. Central Park West at 79th Street http://www.amnh.org/
Metropolitan Museum of Art: paintings, civilizations: Egypt, China, Korea and many other cultures. Fifth Avenue at 82nd St.http://www.metmuseum.org/
Children's Museum of Manhattan: play and have a fun time while learning. 212 West 83rd St. http://www.cmom.org/index.html
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a fun and interesting visit to learn about our immigrant's history.
Central Park Zoo, closer and smaller than the Bronx Zoo, it is a fun place to spend an afternoon http://www.centralparkzoo.com/
New York Aquarium, your children will love to learn about fish and ocean life http://www.nyaquarium.com/
Bronx Zoo a wonderful place to learn about animals and habitats http://www.bronxzoo.com/
In New Jersey:
Newark Museum a great place if you do not want to go into Manhattan. There is a children's area and a planetarium http://www.newarkmuseum.org/
Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. A great place to spend the day with the children watching an IMAX movie and enjoying the interactive exhibits http://www.newarkmuseum.org/
At home: spend time with your child playing, reading, cooking, baking and exploring the things he/she is interested in. Remember to use your rich home language to discuss all the things around you! Being bilingual and biliterate is a gift. Having a solid and extensive first language is the key to a successful second language learner.